FORDMAN

I'm surprised no one commented on this.

I just had to replace my one year old battery because it went dead back in Feb. A test showed it was good except that is wasn't charging to it's full capacity. After a new one was installed I didn't see the Battery Saver message for about 2 weeks. Now, even with the warmer weather I am getting it everyday again. On the new battery. Even after driving it for close to an hour.

So is the problem a parasitic draw? Or the alternator not charging the battery properly?

After 5 years no one, especially Ford, has the answer?

2013 F150

That's the way it's been Fordman. I was told this is the way it's designed to work. I don't believe it. They don't have an answer except to reprogram the system to look for a lower voltage which my dealer won't do.

FORDMAN

When you say this is the way it's designed to work do you mean for the battery saver message to come on. Or that the charging system is designed to not fully charge the battery? Big difference here. If it's the alternator not fully charging the battery there must be a way to fix that.

Sask934

My truck still does this in all temps....it has always started, so in that way I'm lucky.

FORD still can not figure this out? ....My feeling is that they know it's a computer issue and a recall would cost far to much.

2013 F150

They tell me the system is working as it should & that the message comes on to save your battery. I have not heard of 2016 models having this issue. I do agree though that they don't want to deal with the costs involved.

3kushn

After nearly a year of no message, it came back. Gee Wiz.
I noticed the top of the case was rather filthy so what the heck, lets clean it off and top off the battery. So far so good. Maybe 3 weeks?? Crude but doesn't hurt to stay clean.

How did I get a year of no message. I left my truck at the airport for 5 days with the battery disconnected. The 24hour disconnect procedure never worked for me. 5 days really killed everything off. The battery was likely low when disconnected so I figure the reset adjusted to that battery level. BTW I knew it would be dead after 5 days so that's why I disconnected it.

DeuceDriver

I have a small charger hooked up to the battery and I can check the voltage of the battery without opening the truck. Even at 12.4V the message will come on if I do not drive the truck at least once a week. It appears that the computer (ignition) has to be turned on weekly. Disconnecting the battery will not help. I believe the years affected are 2011 - 2014. Nothing wrong with the alternator, I have a voltmeter I can insert into the cigarette lighter and the charging rate is 14.3V, even at idle. It is strictly a problem with the on board computer. Trickle charging the battery once a week does not help, the battery will be up - but the motor has to be running once a week. The re-programming would be at my own cost - about 50 minutes at shop rates and may or may not correct the problem. We should have started a class action suit years ago. In the meantime I will do as instructed by my Ford dealer which is "Drive the truck around aimlessly at least once a week!"

FORDMAN

I see no point in re-programming the cut off point. Although I find the "battery saver" message annoying I'm more concerned with the battery not being fully charged. I seem to have an additional problem no one else has commented on. When my battery goes dead and I charge it back to where I can start the truck my transmission is locked in 3rd gear. It won't shift up or down. I have to have the computer re-flashed. I've had to do this twice. To those who disconnect your batteries. When you reconnect, does your trans work properly? Because my 2011 doesn't. I'm lucky in that I live only 10 minutes from a good transmission shop who re-programs my computer for free.

BTW, today I took a 3 1/2 hour trip. After a solid hour of driving, stopped for coffee. The battery saver message came on. So after that long the battery should have been charged past the cut off point. Had only the radio on. No lights or fans or anything. Completed the trip and then the radio played after another 2 1/2 hours of driving.

Shaggy1970

Is it possible that the draw is more than 14.3v, the capability of the alternator might not be adequate. My 1990 Mercury Sable had a Front Windshield heat and when on, the draw was 16.5v. That year car had a heavy duty alternator that put out 18v. When the windshield was not on it would put out 14.3 and when on it would put out 18. My theory is this electronic truck draws more that what the alternator can handle, thus needing a heavy duty alternator that Ford does not want to install. Anyone see what the exact draw is with everything running by measuring the draw at the fuse box?

mattbrim460

I drove mine to work everyday and it still failed any time after being used. From 5 minutes to 12 hours. I could drive to work shut it off, go in and click in with no message, come back out and be dead cold no some light, nothing. Get jumped then I could actually shut it off immediately and it would stay right back up without even a chance to charge. My thought was a loose ground but they supposedly checked all the grounds and so on. So driving time out distance made no difference for me. Leave it sit all weekend, starts right up. Drive for an hour and a half, get the message. There was no consistency whatsoever other than the colder it was the worse it got.